Blogging about legal topics for forty hours a week is putting a damper on my food blogging. I’m working on balancing the two, including managing Twitter, e-mail and reading all of your blogs. But it’s difficult to even look at Twitter or e-mail during the day, and I kind of like spending my lunch hour not staring at the computer. I’m trying not to go blind over here.
But have no fear. While I ponder outrageous lawsuits and decisions, I am thinking about food. Delicious, delicious food. I dream of Tartine’s morning buns (coming next week) and shrimp scampi pizza (look out for this one too). I long for homemade bread and cheesy concoctions. I fantasize about Nutella. Basically, I’m making plans for the weekend. And this weekend’s plansdon’t include the Super Bowl.
To kick off my weekend properly, I decided to make a hearty and healthy dinner of Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry. You’re free to call itC-Cubed, but I make no warranties as to the reception that might get. This curry is a pantry meal through and through–it relies heavily on spices, staples such as onion and chickpeas, and adds in a little bit of leftover vegetable. I think spinach, potato or squash could easily replace the cauliflower. It’s an amazing weeknight or “Damn, I’m poor” meal (I like these, since I’m still poor).
I do, however, have one confession to make. I used pasta sauce to make my curry.
I know–what the hell is wrong with me? You have to understand that I just moved two weeks ago and don’t yet have everything I need to cook. I don’t even havespace to stock everything I could potentially want once I cash in my first pay check (I share a kitchen with two others). So the failure to have crushed tomatoes or tomato paste on hand must be forgivable. Besides, I used a plain jarred tomato sauce, and once all of the Indian spices were added, I couldn’t even tell that it was once destined for a bowl of pasta. So there. Hmph.
I’ve subbed in crushed tomatoes in the recipe below to prevent any backlash.
1. In a small bowl, mix together everything from coriander to the kosher salt. Set aside.
2. In a blender, puree the onion, garlic and ginger.
3. Drain and wash the chickpeas. Separate 1/3 of the chickpeas and mash them.
4. Cut cauliflower into small florets.
5. In a large saute pan, heat a little vegetable oil. Saute onion mixture until browned and fragrant.
6. Add in crushed tomatoes, 1/3 cup chicken stock and half of the spice mixture. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
7. Add in all of the chickpeas (including mashed) and cauliflower. Cover and let simmer until cauliflower is tender.
8. Mix the rest of the spice mix with the remaining 1/3 cup of chicken stock. Add to the pan. Simmer uncovered for a few minutes until the sauce thickens up.
Serve over rice or couscous.
Note: Potatoes, if added, should be par-cooked, and spinach should be added at the very end.
